ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

To be as carbon neutral as possible this Christmas, No 1 daughter, Sam-Cate, chose the goodies she sent with my tastes and needs in mind. To my absolute delight everything was recycled and accompanied by a hand made card so beautiful I’m going to have it framed.

In the weeks prior to Christmas a colleague, a wife and working mother, revealed quietly that she was deeply embarrassed by the excesses she observed as she visited the local shopping mall. Her family now has a new strategy for Christmas gift giving.

Sandy and Bob are just back from volunteering at a Thai orphanage. Sandy confided, “I thought we’d just come back and everything would be as it was. Not so.” This traveler looked around with new eyes and found the excesses of Oz gift giving “obscene”.

Sandy and Joseph report that in their large extended family the solution is for each child to draw a name out of a hat and choose a gift for that child. And the adults? They get to make donations to the charity of choice of the name they draw out of the same hat. Sandy’s field is educating for sustainability so she knows it is vital for us all to reduce our footprint.

Check out www.jo-bloggs.blogspot.com for a good laugh on the same subject.

Well done to all these amazing women who are showing such wonderful grassroots leadership while retaining the true spirit of Christmas. Hopi wisdom decrees, “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.”

Great follow up rain

Had another excited call from Goondiwindi this morning. Tricia reports a further 470 points for theirs and neighbouring properties, with another 67 points yesterday. Tricia and Graham attended the Oct 3 Arid Land Management workshop and have experienced great rain since then.

These farmers care deeply about the future of sustainable agriculture and their beautiful river, the Macintyre, part of the iconic Murray Darling catchment. Congratulations Tricia and Graham!

Also worth mentioning that Andrew's successful rainmaking (see previous entry) included his family property several hundred kilometres away from the Sunshine Coast. Well done Andrew.

Testimonial

"Barbara is a passionate and inspiring advocate for water. During our one day rainmaking workshop Barbara shared with us much wisdom and knowledge, but most importantly she taught us how simple it can be to make it rain. Barbara teaches in a down-to-earth, practical and light-hearted way that the science of rainmaking is something we can all learn. I had a fantastic day and would recommend it to everyone who needs rain or wants to make a difference in these times of change. Since doing the workshop my personal rainmaking record is 2 out of 2, so I'm now even more convinced that it works!! Thanks Barbara for teaching me rainmaking ... what a gift!!"

Andrew Lytton-Hitchins, 34
BSc (Hons)

P.S. Andrew attended the Sunshine Coast Rainmaking Workshop last month.

Tues 30 – "G’day. Just thought I’d ring and let you know that we had 12.5ml of rain last night. Nice and slow and steady. Yeah, it was beautiful. Place looks like a picture."

Phone messages like this are music to my ears these days, almost as good as hearing rain on a tin roof after a long dry.

Glynn, who is a successful rainmaker and Biodynamic dairy farmer, participated in the Sunshine Coast workshop on Oct 27 to brush up on his skills. His wife Therese left this excited message today. Well done!

They Call Me the Rainmaker

BARBARA CARSELDINE - “They Call Me the Rainmaker”

Climate change and drought seem inevitable, yet they don’t have to be. Wouldn’t it be great if we could ensure more consistent rainfall patterns in our part of the world? The knowledge and the wisdom to do so are now available to all.

After researching rainmaking both scientifically and through indigenous cultures, I discovered, somewhat to my surprise, that I now have a track record of successful rainmaking for my vege patch on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast 51 out of 53 times over the past two years. I messed up number 3 and 4 and learnt from that.

I see rainmaking as a science which is easy to learn and one that is essential for sustainable water management. Rainmaking workshops are my way of fulfilling my obligation to teach what I have learnt. This is the indigenous way. If you are interested in a workshop in your region phone 61 7 5476 0668 or email watertools@gmail.com

On October 3, at drought stricken Goondiwindi, 12 property owners attended an Arid Land Management workshop which included the science of rainmaking and understanding creating local tipping points for more consistent rainfall patterns. The farmers represented broad acre cotton, grain, cattle, sheep and one biodynamic sheep and cattle producer. By Oct 17 at least three properties had rain, 96 points at Boomi, NSW, and 1” (or 25 ml) at Goondiwindi and a whopping 150 ml on Graham & Tricia's property some 45 minutes from town. Well done Graham & Tricia!

Forthcoming workshops

Sunshine Coast - Venue: Blue House cnr Farrell & North Streets, Yandina. Saturday October 27. Time: 11 for 11.30 sharp – 4.30. Bring a plate to share for lunch. Cost: $55 and $45 concession, or couples, 10% donated to train Permaculture teachers in the Third World. Bookings are essential as places are limited. Ph Barbara 5476 0668.

Gold Coast – Currumbin Valley – Gecko Hall, Eco Village, Saturday November 17, Shauna Kendall ph 07 5593 9733

Other events

In Brisbane on November 11 the Nunkul Yuggera Aboriginal Dancers will lead a raindance attempting to enter the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest raindance ever. www.rotary.elstar.com.au/raindance for more information.